plate no. 7895

Boulevard des Сapucines

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapecityscapesnowbuildingspeoplecarsstreetlights

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing atmospheric perspective and rendering reflections on wet surfaces. It also provides practice in depicting figures and vehicles with loose, expressive brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of buildings, figures, and vehicles.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme with a thin wash of muted purples and grays for the sky and distant areas.
step 03
Block in the larger shapes of the buildings and street using broader brushstrokes and darker values.
step 04
Add the figures and vehicles, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions within the scene.
step 05
Introduce warm colors for the streetlights and shop windows, creating contrast and visual interest.
step 06
Develop the reflections on the wet street using horizontal strokes and varying values.
step 07
Add details such as snow on the trees and buildings, using small dabs of white paint.
step 08
Refine the brushwork and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · raw sienna

Achieve the muted purples and grays by mixing ultramarine blue, burnt umber, and titanium white. Use cadmium yellow and alizarin crimson for the warm highlights of the streetlights and shop windows.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·wet-on-wet blending
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the brushwork.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure, resulting in a flat and unconvincing scene.
→Ignoring the effects of atmospheric perspective, causing the distant areas to appear too sharp and detailed.
→Using colors that are too saturated, creating a garish and unnatural effect.